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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Castaway Christmas - 25 Amazing Christmas Tree Ideas

Oh I do love, love Christmas.

It's the best time of year to really let my creative spirit free in a styling extravaganza, the perfect indulgence to play, experiment and create visual sensory delights for my family and friends to enjoy, in fact every year now I get asked how I'm going to decorate Christmas - didn't realise it had become an event in itself.

So glass of Sherry in hand, I really encourage you all to have some creative fun this year, forget the commercial Christmas decorations and create unique pieces that really satisfy, who knows they could become future treasured family heirlooms.

Here in Australia Christmas is at the height of Summer. When I first moved to Oz, the rich, warm traditional Christmas colours and decorations I had grown up with in the Northern Hemisphere looked so out of place in a hot sunny country.

So over the past 12 years I have endeavoured to create a more appealing Christmas showcase, one that sits perfectly well in 30-40 degrees! This creates some interesting challenges.

Today, in part one of my Christmas inspiration collection of ideas we look at alternatives to the humble traditional Christmas tree.

Environmentally, cutting down trees just for Christmas is not the way forward. But the symbolism of the Christmas tree can still stay with us, just in a different format.

I've collected some really stunning and simple alternative tree ideas - I do hope you'll consider trying some of these for your own home this year.



A coral tree, simple to make as coral pieces sit on
a tiered cake stand. This would be perfect as a table centre piece.



This is so clever that I'm going to try and re-create one of these -
it's simply too cute!



There are many driftwood Christmas trees in the shops this year.
As lovely as they are, I love the simplicity of this one, just 2 large pieces
of driftwood, propped up with simple fairy lights - so Castaway Christmas.



Over the years I've created many of these types of Christmas
tree arrangements. Willow makes awesome free styled trees like
the one above. You can leave the branches natural or spray paint them
the colour of your choice.



A different take on the driftwood tree. I've started to see furniture made
out of this type of vintage timber, usually from old Indonesian fishing boats.



Simple with a seaside vintage feel. Sea Urchin miniature tree,
perfect for any little Christmas fairy.



I love these. So simple to re-create. Starfish where made for
Christmas decorating.



Simple again, even the kids can make these.



This is my pick this year. I love the simplicity of this
idea, yet the scope is enormous. Here an inexpensive garden cone
shaped trellis is spray painted and decorated.



Each year there seems to be a tree de jour. This year the urchin tree runs
close ties to the driftwood tree.



Up cycling never got so creative. What a cool idea, an old window
fly screen is given a new life as a Christmas arrangement - genius!



A tree you can roll up and use again. Blackboard painted background with
a hand drawn tree silhouette, very Scandinavian.



What can't you do with ribbons? Simple ribbon tree, just so sweet.



Another Sea Urchin tree, almost looks like dessert!



I've seen a lot of images with old vintage glass cake stands
they're so multi-purpose and add such elegance to a display.



Donna Hay magazine did an amazing coastal collection of
Christmas styling ideas a couple of years back.
This old Palm tree frond free form tree's a stunner.



What a clever idea. Have too many books - create a tree!



Gleaming coastal inspired tree.



This is so ingenious.
A French Provincial inspired Christmas tree seat - how cool!



Simple branch tree, proving small can be just as striking.



Aqua lovers be warned, this set will cause serious drooling!



Another starfish tree - gorgeous.



This is the simplest Tropical tree I know to create. Take 2 large palm fronds,
place in a beautiful glass vase and hang some pretty starfish.



Glitzy Palm tree - Christmas Vegas style!



Very clever!

There are so many more takes on the alternative Christmas tree, it's amazing.

(all images Pinterest)

Have fun Christmas creating.


Happy Island Styling



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